Not Without You (A slightly longer than normal One-Shot)
by AnamariaJovel
Summary: [Set in 2012]: Leo has gone back to save the girl he loves, and his father Splinter. Shredder has taken them both, one as payment to the Kraang, another for revenge. Join Leo on his journey to figure out this new crush and what it means for his relationship with younger brother Donatello, and try to save his family from Shredder, and the Kraang. LeoXApril pairing.


**A/N: So I absolutely love the April and Leo ship, but I'm warning you all right now, this is going to be as canon as possible. Even though I love the ship, I have to admit it might not get too far. Leo is selfless and caring, he wouldn't just try to sweep April off her feet and leave Donnie in the dust. You've been warned, here we go…**

**PS. You really need to read the entire thing to see Leo's crush come full circle. It won't be complete until the very last word, despite what may happen in the middle of the story.**

_**Leonardo's POV**_

It was in that moment he realized his true feelings. He wasn't going back for Donnie. He was going back for her. Because of how he felt.

The sewers crashed down around him. Fire all around him, and smoke that attempted to fill his lungs and choke him. But he wasn't leaving without her.

His brothers didn't know he was there, they thought he was safe, searching for Shredder on the streets of New York.

But he stayed with April, even though he was the one who gave the orders to split up to find the man who held Splinter captive at this very moment.

He just had this feeling that if he had left, April would never come back alive. So he stayed. And now he knows why.

"April! Can you hear me?" He shouts, slashing his katana through the pipes and debris that block his way to her. They had gotten separated. All part of Shredder's larger plan. He needed April like he needed Splinter. Ransom to get the Kraang to help him mutate New York.

"Leo!" He heard her yell. But he couldn't see her. The strain in her voice alone told him she was in pain. Maybe she was pinned under one of the many bricks falling from the sewer ceiling.

He was going to find her. He would not leave until he did.

He couldn't explain the feelings he felt whenever April stood home with him, while his brothers were out. He couldn't explain the protectiveness he felt for her whenever the Kraang tried to kidnap her.

That feeling of warmth, and happiness, with a bit of nausea mixed in.

He knew what it was now.

He had a crush on his adoptive sister once. Karai. He couldn't shake the feelings he had for her, but they weren't the same as how he feels for April.

When he was with Karai he felt shaky when she was around, and a bit more vulnerable. It _was_ a crush. And it didn't last.

April, brought love. It was always more than just friendship. He realizes that now.

He didn't want to hurt Donnie, his younger brother. And he knew that Casey would hate him for it too.

But he couldn't hide his feelings while she was in danger. He couldn't put on the same calm yet happy face that he gave her whenever he felt the butterflies, tickling his plastron whenever she got close. And he knew they'd hate him even more if he left her to die.

He had to find her.

"Leo!" He heard April yell again, her voice even more pained and raspy than it had been the first time she shouted.

He couldn't let her pass out. He needed to get to her. Now.

He slashed through one more pipe and he saw her. But not only her.

Shredder stood next to her, his hand closed tight around her wrist. It looked like she was trying hard not to show any emotion, even though her arm was beginning to pale.

"Get away from her," Leo demanded, his hand tightening its three-fingered grip on the katana handle. Shredder's laugh echoed throughout the sewers. Taunting the son of Hamato Yoshi.

"Young Turtle. So naïve, so _confident_. Too confident. If you knew what was best you'd leave me to my business with the girl." Shredder says slowly.

"Leo just go." April pleads, her voice shaking. Leo looks to her free hand, and its grip on her Tessen. But he knows she can't take on Shredder on her own.

"Not without you I'm not," He tells her.

"How sweet. Too bad I must leave before properly destroying you." Shedder smiles. A wicked thing really. He continues on to yank April from the floor, even though her leg is clearly stuck under a large pipe. Her scream is painful.

Just as Leo is about to charge, someone grabs him from behind. His katana hits the ground with a clang. Cold metal presses against his shell. It feels like Kraang droid, but so much stronger than he ever remembered them being. He attempts to struggle, but he cannot reach the katana in the pouch on his shell, or the small blade he keeps tucked under his wrist wraps.

When he looks up again to meet Shedder, April is unwillingly-leaning against Shredder's armor, eyes squeezed shut, biting her lip, her left leg bent in an abstract angle. Shredder has broken it.

"You take care of him," Shredder pauses, pointing a sharp steel blade at Leonardo's neck. "And I'll bring the girl to Kraang Prime as promised." He finishes.

"April!" Leo yells, struggling harder against the droid. The Kraang has updated their technology further. He cannot escape the droid's grip. Shredder has already turned away, April dragged behind him on one leg.

"I cannot wait to bring Hamato Yoshi his son's head on a platter. A fine soup you will be, young ninja." He whispers as he waltzes through the fire ahead of him.

He won't let Shredder take April. He can't let that happen.

"No!" He yells to them, as he finally reaches his tanto, under his wrist wrap. Gripping it tightly between two fingers, he jabs backward at what he believes is the droid's stomach, where the Kraang alien should be sitting, controlling the entire thing. He hears a high-pitched screech, and while the Kraang is caught off guard, he escapes grip, turning on the robot, his second katana in hand.

Quickly, he swings across, the head of the droid, falling to the debris littering the ground.

And then…Leo runs. He runs through the fire, ignoring the searing pain to his shell, and the burning sensation to his hands as his katana conducts its own heat with the flames.

He _needs_ to find April. He won't give up until he does. Pipes and bricks fall around him. Flames rise in the tunnels of the sewers around him. He knows Shredder could not have gone far without running straight into the fire, and burning alive in his armor.

At some point, he'll come to a dead end. The sewers will crash down around him, the fire and smoke will become too thick. Leo could die, and never see his brothers ever again. All because he went back for April.

But he still moves forward, motivated by the thought of seeing April's smile again, of seeing his father Splinter back home, safe and sound.

He won't give up on either of them. Because he loves them. For different reasons yes, but love is love. And he won't lose April and Splinter like he did his sister Karai. Certainly not again to Shredder.

He's motivated by the fact that his brothers are blissfully ignorant to where he is, and the probability of his death by Shredder. Of his, Splinter's, and April's death by Shredder.

Maybe he really was doing this for Donnie. For Mikey. For Raph.

So that they wouldn't have to suffer. So they wouldn't be the ones risking their lives. So they wouldn't have to blame themselves if things went amiss.

Sure it was about his protectiveness of April. His love for her. But he knows that if Donnie had known about April's impending danger as he did, he still would've gone in his place. He would've gladly taken the fall for his younger brother, even if he didn't share a deep love for her. Because he loves him, he loves them.

They are his family. He is their leader. And a leader, and brother, will always take that burden. Leo wouldn't have it any other way.

He begins to cough as he charges forwards, the tunnels becoming eerily clearer and quieter. Soon, the fire seems like just a wisp of smoke from behind him. Leo is still coughing when he enters into a large dome shaped space.

He tenses instinctively, there is a large cage at one end of the room.

This must be where Shredder has taken April, and where he holds Splinter.

"Master Splinter? April?" He shouts, being sure to look around completely for any traps before he takes a step further into the space.

"Leonardo," He hears Splinter call, his voice strained. Following the voice, Leo walks slowly to the cage, his katana poised ahead of him.

He arrives and finds his father lying on the ground, his robe tattered, scratches visible across his face. He'd obviously put up a fight before being caged.

"My son, you should not be here. Where are your brothers?" Splinter asks him, carefully sliding closer to the steel bars. Leo isn't strong enough, nor is his katana, to break through the bars.

"They're topside. Looking for you…" Leo replies, his voice cracking while he looks over the injuries his father has acquired. He knew it wasn't right. Master Splinter had taught them everything he knew. He is a ninja master. Yet he lies there vulnerable, against his enemy, and old friend.

"You must leave, Shredder will return any minute. You must find your brothers, and April." Splinter tells his son. For a moment, all Leo can see is April's broken leg, all he hears is her shrill scream. He has to blink to stop from tearing. He will be strong for his father. Strong for April. Strong for his brothers.

"Shredder…he has April. He was going to give her over to the Kraang." He confesses to the Sensei. Splinter closes his eyes for a moment, in meditation.

"I see how this must bother you, my son. But I know you can find her. I assume Donatello has no knowledge of this?" He asks Leo, his eyes still closed, legs still crossed.

"No," Leo replies. Splinter nods, seemingly deep in thought. If he hadn't been sitting in a cage, Leo could've pretended they were sitting together in the dojo. Safe and sound.

"Go find April. She is where your heart is right now." Splinter orders his eldest son. Splinter could tell the truth, and how it bothered and tormented his eldest. But Leo did not want to leave his father behind.

"I won't leave you Master Splinter. Shredder could kill you," Leo says, staring at his reflection in the katana's blade, rather than his father's eyes.

"Go now, I will still be here when you return. Shredder will not kill me, if I have any idea where my sons are hiding." Splinter assures him.

There was nothing left to say. Leo would not disobey his father.

So he left as swiftly as he could, trying not to look back at Splinter. He changed direction and tunnel merely by instinct. He was slowly getting further and further into the intricate maze of tunnels underground.

After about twenty minutes, he was beginning to lose hope. Until he heard her scream.

He followed the deafening screams for what felt like hours until he came to what looked like it used to be a terminal. The huge space seemed empty, until you noticed the Kraang droids, far off in the distance, pacing back and forth in front of a somewhat larger droid, where a sleeping Kraang lay in its stomach. Leo knew it wasn't Kraang Prime, the alien was much too small. And he'd had personal experiences with it.

Quietly, he made his way into the room, his katana sheathed in the pouch on his shell. He made it halfway before a Kraang droid finally looked his way.

"It is the one they call Turtle! The one called Turtle intrudes on the project they call the secret project! Destroy the one they call Turtle!" The droid yelled, just as Leo's katana sliced its body in two. The droids charged at Leo, some shooting lasers from their guns.

But within two minutes, only droid parts remained. They were easy work for the motivated Turtle. He just wanted to find April.

He continued to work his way toward the larger droid, making sure no other droids could alert anyone of his entrance. He took them out silently, one by one, until he reached the end of the large room, where the big droid stood.

It was there that he realized the room actually did extend further back. And it was from that spot that he could see April, strapped to a metal table, a huge metal helmet on her head, with a group of droids standing behind her. They looked like they were trying to observe her while they hurt her, like they were trying to gauge the pain she felt from their _tests_. He wanted to rush forward, take down the bots, and save April. He wanted to be her knight in shining armor. Like the knight he was in the game Mazes and Mutants.

But he needed a plan. He was already exhausted from the fire and smoke, and the mini-exercise the other droids had given him. He was not going to risk her life by making rash decisions.

And he was still going back for Splinter.

She was screaming again.

"The one called April O'Neil is going to provide Kraang with that which is called Perfect DNA to mutate the New York. Then Kraang will destroy the ones called Turtles for the one called Shredder who gave Kraang the one called April O'Neil." A droid explained, quite thoroughly too. For a moment he wondered how April had not already destroyed the droid. Her scream is known to be a powerful weapon against them.

That must've been the reason for the large helmet. It was preventing her abilities while dosing out what seemed like an electric charge just to entertain the Kraang.

It wasn't entertaining to Leo.

Of course, his T-Phone chooses that moment to ring. He doesn't have to look at the screen to know its Mikey. He's already gotten a slew of texts from his youngest brother. He has no time to answer, instead he walks casually out from the shadow of the larger droid, watching for the Kraang to make the first move.

"It is the one called Turtle! Stop him!" A droid calls, and out of nowhere droids file into the room from the many tunnels around the used-to-be terminal. It's about fifty, to one. An unfair fight that subdues Leo in about five minutes of struggling and slashing. He was only able to take down fifteen droids before losing his katana, and it was another five that went down before they were finally able to grab his arms and keep him from moving.

They dragged him with them, back to their position in front of April. She saw him before the droids stopped moving.

"Leo…" She mumbles, her hand moving slightly from under the straps that hold her down. Her Tessen was lost in the fire, long before she was brought there by Shredder. But she still grasped for the weapon Master Splinter had given her, the weapon he was going to give to his daughter, Miwa. A beautifully dangerous iron fan. Gone.

Leo and April were completely defenseless. But Leo refused to believe it was over. This time his tanto is not an option. One of those first fifteen droids were lucky enough to get it stuck in its shoulder.

"Complete the tests. The one that is called April O'Neil has the DNA that which is needed by Kraang Prime for complete mutation." The order was given by a Kraang droid.

And carried out by one. The remaining droids formed ranks around Leo, watching intently and forcing Leo to watch as a droid stepped forward with a controller in hand. As if for dramatic effect, he just stands there for a moment, before pressing a large red button on the remote.

Almost immediately, a large prick-device lowers from the ceiling. They are attempting to take April's blood for DNA, but instead of pricking her finger, its looks a lot like they want to prick her face. April seems to be paralyzed.

According to Raph she was in this same situation before, but then she didn't have a helmet on her head preventing her from stopping the Kraang and their machine. Leo was anything but calm. He knew he needed to stop the machine before it stabbed April in the face, but he didn't know how he would do it, weaponless and on his own.

"Please, you don't want to do this. We've already gone over this. Hair is _much_ better for DNA samples!" April begins to plead, tears stinging her eyes. She is strong. It's a reason Leo cares, most definitely.

"Kraang Prime requested what is called the most entertaining. Do not struggle as you did before. Kraang will make sure that which is called death will be more painful if you struggle." A droid replies to her. Leo needs a diversion. He needs to get the droids to leave him alone willingly, so he can get April out of there alive.

"Let me go!" Leo yells, struggling harder than ever against the droids. He has a plan alright, even though it may just get everyone killed even quicker.

Positioned discretely in a small pocket fold of his belt, are a few smoke bombs, courtesy of Donnie. Usually you toss them forward while you are away from the enemy to make a daring escape without them realizing it. For the first time, Leo has decided to use them to create enough confusion for him to get away with April.

During his struggle, he is able to successfully grab hold of two bombs, one he will use to, hopefully, create enough confusion to get away from the droids, and the second to escape with April without having to fight.

It was now or never. So Leo tossed the bomb, and purple smoke covered his vision for a fraction of a second, before he escaped a confused droid's grasp.

"The one called turtle! Where is he?" The droid shouts, just as the smoke clears, revealing Leo at the foot of the metal table, snapping the cord attached to the needle, making it stop moving only a few inches from April's face.

"Stop the one that is called Turtle!" The droid in possession of the controller shouts, a crowd of droids rushing forward with their laser guns in hand. His katana is a few feet away, but if he rushes for it, they'll have enough time to start up the machine again. April would die.

So he takes on the droids weaponless, fighting as hard as he ever has, the faces of his family flashing before him.

Raphael. Donatello. Michelangelo. Splinter. Even Casey.

He knows he'll never make it out alive with April unless the droids are out of the way first.

One by one, another droid falls. A series of firsts. His first time smacking a droid with another droid's arm. His first time using a Kraang laser gun against a group of unarmed Kraang. His first time using all of his shuriken against any enemy.

He did it all while keeping his stance at the foot of the metal table, letting the enemies come to him, and protecting April all the while.

When the controller falls, the battle has ended, and a wave of relief rushes over Leo as he starts to untie April from the table.

She sighs, shivering. She was free at last. Leo saved her.

"Why did you come after me?" She asks him. He glances at her leg for a moment before replying.

"You are family. Family never gets left behind," He tells her, knowing that he would probably never tell April how he really felt. That was something he would never do to Donnie. He wouldn't do that to any of his brothers.

Gently he helps April into a sitting position. She smiles at him, despite the fact that she's battered and bruised.

"I understand. Thank you Leo," She says.

And April kisses him on the cheek, letting him know that she knows the truth. That she knows how he feels. But it's also a silent agreement and a promise that Donnie will never have to feel the pain of rejection. Neither of them want to hurt Donnie, and so they'll only ever be just close friends. Even if, maybe just maybe, April shares his feelings too. Feelings for the turtle who quietly stood on the sidelines, protecting from a distance, never making her uncomfortable like Donnie and Casey occasionally did with their bickering, but always there. But that doesn't matter to them, because they both know Donnie doesn't deserve pain.

For only a moment Leo is stunned.

"I…" He trails off.

But the moment is over. And Splinter is still in danger.

A few minutes later, Leo and a limping April walk slowly through the tunnels underground, trying to find Splinter once again so they can set him free.

"I hope Master Splinter is alright." He mumbles to himself as they walk. He only hopes he doesn't find Splinter in as bad a situation as April was. Leo knows he'd never forgive himself.

"Don't worry Leo, we'll find him." April reassures him. It isn't awkward, and Leo's glad that things are back to the way they were. He'll always have April as a friend, for advice, for comforting, for training… Even if he still feels the need to hold her hand, or kiss her back. Even if rejection still stings a little.

Seeing Donnie light up when he sees April safe at home again will make up for that, he knows it.

That's when he remembers that Mikey has been calling and texting him all afternoon. And he also remembers that April is using him as support to walk on one leg.

"I should call the guys…They must be so worried about us. And you need to go back to the lair. You're hurt." Leo tells her, sliding his katana back into its pouch on his shell, and sliding out his T-Phone with his free hand. He had thirteen missed calls, and about thirty texts from Mikey and Raph. Using her free hand, April slid her phone out from her pocket. Twenty missed calls from Donnie.

"But...you can't face Shredder alone. And I can help you find Splinter." She pleads, sliding the phone back into her pocket and looking up at Leo. She was stubborn, but she didn't have a weapon, and she couldn't fight on one leg. He knew he was going to regret his decision as soon as he said it.

"Fine I won't make you go back to the lair. But I am going to call the guys for backup. We're both pretty beat up." Leo tells her, both of them stopping in the middle of the tunnel.

He decides he'll call Raphael. Speed-dial two. After half a ring, he picks up.

"Raph, I need your help. April and I know where Shredder's keeping Splinter. But I lost one of my katana, and April lost her Tessen. Long story, short. We need backup." He stops, casually kicking at the debris littering the ground in front of him.

But then there's a ringing sound. Leo had hit something metal. While he listens to Raph yell on the other side, he bends over, and pushes away the debris, revealing April's iron Tessen. He then proceeds to cut off Raphael mid-sentence.

"Scratch the part about April's Tessen. Meet us at the lair. Then, we go after Shredder." Leo says simply, hanging up the phone before Raphael can reply, then putting his T-Phone away once more.

Kneeling down in the litter, he carefully picks up April's lost weapon, smiling up at a very-surprised April.

"You found it…" She whispers, watching as Leo stands again, dusting off the Tessen with his hand.

"Alright, now that we've both got our weapons, we need to get back to the lair quick. From there it'll be easier to find Splinter again with the guys," He declares. Spoken like a true leader, he says to himself. A small boost of esteem, but he definitely needed it.

So together, April leaning against Leo for support, they begin to walk again, her Tessen now safely tucked away in her pocket along with her phone.

Twenty minutes of wandering has them finally arriving at the turnstiles of the lair. They basically hobble across the 'threshold' of sorts, and are met by Donnie, Mikey and Raph merely a minute after they are seated on the couch. Raph comes bearing an array of weapons, a new pair of katana among the assortment. Donnie drops his bo-staff and goes running to meet April at the couch, worry written across his face. It makes Leo fell terrible, but he holds it together.

"You two look like you got hit by a truck! What happened while you were out?" Mikey asks as he sits down next to Leo.

"Shredder happened. Which is exactly why we need to rescue Sensei as soon as possible." Leo explains quickly. Donnie stares at his older brother for a moment, as if thinking his words through carefully.

"But…what about April? It looks like she's broken her leg. And we can't just leave her here alone." Donnie asks Leo.

"We can set a cast for her leg. But she needs to come with us. She can sense Master Splinter, we'll be able to get to him much faster with April." Leo decides. He knows April doesn't want to stay home. She's not weak. She can hold her own.

"Are you sure you don't want to rest April?" Donnie asks her. April nods.

"I can handle it Donnie. We need to find Master Splinter as soon as possible." She assures him. And so Donnie got to work.

Within an hour everyone was ready for battle, new shiny weapons and all. Together, this time Donnie helping April to walk, they left the lair to find their father.

The large domed space had not changed from the first time Leo had found it, a few hours earlier.

"Sensei!" Mikey shouts into the space. Raph steps further into the space first.

"Master Splinter!" Raph calls out. After a moment of silence, there is a strained reply.

"My sons!" They hear Splinter shout, from the cage that Leo had left him in earlier. It seems safe enough, so they all walk slowly to the far back of the room. Shredder had certainly returned for Splinter. More scars covered the Sensei's face. His eyes had dark circles underneath, Shredder had to have been trying to wear him down.

"My sons. I was beginning to think Shredder had found you." Splinter told them, as Raph and Mikey tried their hands at breaking down the metal bars of Splinter's cage.

"Oh I've certainly found them." A deep voice echoes through the room, and the four turtles and April turn around to meet Shredder, with his minions Rahzar and Fish-face. Behind them are a seemingly endless amount of Foot-bots. They're greatly outnumbered.

"You turtles have cost me my daughter. Now I will destroy you and your Sensei once and for all." Shredder shouts into the room, stepping in with his army following suit behind him. Leo steps in front of his brothers and April.

"Karai was never your daughter Shredder. You stole her from Splinter. And then you mutated her. Out of spite." He yells back, boldly. Shredder begins to laugh. Splinter lost his daughter because of the grudge Shredder held. Leo and his brothers lost their sister because of the grudge Shredder held. Leo was quickly losing his patience, but April's small hand on his shoulder helped to calm him down, if only a little bit.

"You are a stain on my honor. I must wipe the stain clean." Shredder continues.

"You are overconfident, a child. I will finally have my turtle soup. What fine soup it will be." Shredder taunts.

"You don't know what honor is. You lied to Karai her entire life. You've held a grudge for decades. You even tried teaming up with the Kraang, tried handing over April to them, because you knew if you weren't allies they could've destroyed you." Leo replied harshly. Again a hand on his shoulder only cooled him down a little. That was, until he saw April's leg in a cast again. And heard her scream. He replayed the moment again. Shredder pulling her arm, dragging her behind him like a ragdoll. Then he could see Karai. The rope fraying. Her fall into the mutagen. Her scream, and Splinter's wide eyes as he watched Miwa fall and transform into a serpent that could have killed him.

Leo was not a violent person at heart. None of his brothers were, not even tough guy Raphael. But no one should be able to get away with hurting his family.

"The time has passed for you idle acts of courage, young son of Hamato Yoshi. Bradford, Xever, my Bots, destroy the turtles. Splinter is my trophy to take." Shredder declares.

"Oh good, finally we get to the fun part." Raphael smirks, cracking his knuckles.

"Shredder, this is between you and I. Leave my family out of it!" Splinter shouts from his cage, just as the battle begins. Leo watches as Shredder makes his way to the cage, and rips the metal bars from their place. But he is already caught up in a fight with Rahzar. There's nothing he can do now.

Raph has made his way to his rival Fish-face, and Donnie, Mikey and April are all fighting off the Foot-bots quite easily, although April is still using Donnie as a support to stand. While Leo fought, he couldn't help but keep glancing back at Splinter.

"You're taking the fun out of getting to destroy you Turtle." Rahzar tells Leo, fangs out. He attempts to claw at Leo, but he blocks it with his katana. Almost all of the Foot-Bots are down. Leo's basically buying time, until he can go help Splinter himself. He knows Raphael would love kicking the spikes off his back. Or course that's after he turns Fish-Face into sushi.

"Fight me like you mean it Turtle!" Rahzar shouts, trying to get Leo to the ground. At this point, Leo is basically just holding Rahzar away from him. Leo was tired of fighting him. He made it clear when he kicked him away, with such a force that he hit the wall opposite them.

Rahzar began to laugh as he stood up.

"That's what I'm talking about," He smiles, or at least, it looked like a smile. He was already running towards Leo again, but Leo swiftly jumped aside, and hit Rahzar with the back of his katana, making the large dog-like mutant fall to the ground with a loud thud. He wasn't laughing anymore.

Leo took a moment to look around at the other fights. Raphael and Fish-Face were still going strong, and less than a third of the Bots still remained.

Shredder and Splinter were more beaten than the rest of them. Shredder has lost his precious helmet, Kuro Kabuto. Splinter's robe is quite literally, in shreds. But they kept going, both of them driven to end their feud once and for all. Leo could hear bits of their conversation. Splinter was even now trying to end the fight.

"…we were friends and brothers. We must end this before we are both destroyed. I do not wish to kill you." Splinter tried to reason with Shredder.

"You destroyed my life! And now I will destroy yours. For years, my hate has fueled me. I will not let you win again!" Shredder shouted at him, his steel claws extending at his will.

"Hate is a fuel burned quickly, my friend." Splinter shouted back, deflecting the claws and pushing Shredder back with only a finger. It was clear Shredder was shocked at Splinter's speed and agility. But the feeling only lasted a moment before he struck Splinter again.

While Rahzar was still down, Leo ran to Mikey, Donnie, and April and helped them finish off the last of the Bots. One by one until they were all gone.

Then together, they helped Raphael take down Fish-Face.

Now the battle was only with Shredder. Surely the Turtles, April and Sensei could take him down. Right?

That's at least what Leo told himself as he and his brothers charged at Shredder. Just in time. His claw had gotten about an inch from Splinter's neck when they jumped him. Shredder was seething with anger. He slashed back once, and Mikey hit the ground far behind his brothers, a new crack across his plastron.

"Mikey!" Raphael shouted, his hand forming a fist and hitting Shredder directly in his right eye. He retreated from the red-bandana wearing turtle, and headed back to Splinter. He hadn't even flinched. April sat of the ground by Mikey, her lip bleeding and lower eye bruised.

"I'll take care of Mikey." She whispers to the guys.

So the other three turtles rush back to their father, weapons raised. Before they got close, Splinter looked Leo in the eye.

"You all must leave. Now," He yells, tossing his shuriken at Shredder; it hits him in the armor of his shoulder, and falls to the ground. It made no dent. It was the first time Leo or any of his brothers had seen their Sensei so afraid, so _wild_.

But they were not leaving without him.

Raphael was the first to strike, at Shredder's back. Then Donatello, at his side. And Leo, rushed in front of his father, right in front of Shredder. Together, through the hits and slashes, they got Shredder to the ground, by sheer luck it seemed.

"Get off of me!" He shouted, struggling so hard, that the three brothers were barely able to keep him down. But a minute was all they needed.

When Shredder finally manages to knock the turtles off, Splinter is there, his hands ahead of him, facing his foe.

"I warned you. Hate burns quickly!" He shouts, before using one fist to hit Shredder square in the jaw, sending him flying back to hit the wall with such force that a pipe from the ceiling falls to trap him there, unconscious at last.

The fight was over, they had won. For now.

It was time to go home, get Mikey and Master Sensei some medical attention, and rest.

Hours later, Mikey is sleeping in his room after having been patched up by Donnie. Master Splinter, after refusing any treatment, has gone into the dojo to meditate.

Leo sits with Raph, Donnie and April on their couch. They haven't spoken about the day's events at all since they've gotten home. It was a silent agreement that April would stay with them in the lair. If she went home to her Aunt with a broken leg, bleeding lip and bruised eye she'd probably be interrogated about where she'd been. So she called her Aunt and told her that she'd arranged to stay with friends for a few days, maybe more. Her excuse? She'd said she didn't want to go back to the last place she'd seen her father before he was taken.

Leo can't help thinking that everything that happened to her today was his fault. But every time he opened his mouth to say something to her, no words came. What do you say to a friend you've almost killed?

"I…I think I'm going to go meditate with Master Splinter." Leo says aloud to their sad group. April gives Leo a small smile, and Raph nods. Donnie looks up at his brother, but otherwise says and does nothing. Does he know about what happened with April?

Leo ignores that lost thought as he walks into the dojo, sitting cross-legged facing Splinter. His father's eyes are closed, but he still takes Leo's large hand in his smaller one.

"My son. I assume you have made your decision?" Splinter asks Leo, opening his eyes. Leo nods.

"Yeah. I just want Donnie to be happy. I won't let my crush get in the way of Donnie and I's relationship. April agrees," Leo tells his father, a sad smile playing on his lips. Of course he'll always wonder what it would've been like to be with April. But eventually he'll get over that.

"I'm proud of your compassion Leonardo. But what about your happiness?" Splinter asks him. Leo doesn't hesitate on the answer.

"I'm happy as long as my brothers are safe and they're happy." He says, to which Splinter nods, closing his eyes again.

"It is late, you should gather the others to rest. Our battle with Shredder is not over. He will want revenge." Splinter tells his son.

So, already feeling much better after talking to Splinter, Leo gets up again, ready to take Sensei on his suggestion to sleep.

He's almost to the doorway into the living room, when he sees Donnie, standing in the threshold. Leo freezes in place, something about Donnie's expression says that he heard his talk with Splinter. Donnie speaks before Leo can apologize to his younger brother.

"I know how you feel about April…and…I'm not mad. I just can't believe you'd give up the chance to be with her…for _me_." Donnie whispers to his brother, fully aware of April in the next room. For a moment, Leo cannot speak. He had thought for sure his brother hated him.

"Of course I would. You're my brother. I'd do anything for any of you guys," Leo explained. Silence followed this. It looked like Donnie was contemplating something.

"I…I think…I think maybe you should ask April out," Donnie says suddenly, averting his eyes. Leo was shocked. So much so that he actually took a step back, almost tripping on the carpet in the dojo.

"But Donnie, you love her. I would never do that to you!" Leo nearly shouts, lowering his voice again at the last few words.

"I do love her. But I'm not dumb Leo. She only wants to be friends with me, I realize that now. I think I may have even tried _too hard_ to win her affection. The one thing I never wanted was for her to feel like a trophy I wanted…Maybe you'll have better luck." Donnie confesses. Again, this knowledge makes Leo feel terrible. He only wanted Donnie to be happy, yet he's been sad all this time. Pining after a girl he knew didn't share his feelings.

It was the story of Leo and Karai.

"I'm so sorry Donnie…" Leo whispers, pulling his brother into a hug. When they pull away, Donnie gives him a small smile.

"Huh. It feels kind of good to let go, I think it will be easier to hang out with April now that there's less pressure…and you deserve happiness just like any of us Leo." Donnie says, turning away and leaving again. Letting out a sigh, Leo leans against the doorway. Donnie gave him a freedom, though he still wasn't sure he would take it.

When he stepped into the living room, he saw April glancing his way, a small smile on her lips. He knew Donnie must've told April how he felt too. But both April and Leo felt the same way for now.

They liked things just how they were. Six friends, one Sensei.

And they didn't want to change that any time soon.

**A/N: Tell me what you guys think! I'm actually quite proud of my very first fanfiction for TMNT. I wanted to leave the opportunity for April and Leo to get together. Like I said, love the ship, just wanted to make this first story as realistic as possible…**


End file.
